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Final Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Define Biome and Ecozone. How are they different

A

Biomes- are a broad categories that focus on dominant life forms in the climate.

Ecozone- Focus on the unique mix of species in a specific region.

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2
Q

What two climate characteristics are used to define terrestrial biomes? What characteristics are important to differentiating aquatic biomes?

A

Terrestrial biomes:
- Temperature
- Precipitation

Aquatic biomes:
- Nutrient availability
- Salinity
- Dissolved organic matter
- Water transparency
- Depth
- Physical oceanography
- Currents
- Waves

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3
Q

What are the major terrestrial, freshwater and
marine biomes and characteristics of each?

A

Terrestrial
- Tundra: minimal precipitation, extremely cold winters, permafrost, low vegetation numbers.
- Boreal Forrest: cool climate (dry winters, moist summers), poor acidic soil, short growing season, low number of tree species.
- Tropical Rainforest: rain and warm temperatures, lush vegetation, dark and damp, poor acidic soil, rich biodiversity.
- Temporate deciduous forest (nova scotia).
- Temperate grassland (praries, flat, dry)
- Temperate rain forest
- Tropical dry

Freshwater
- Bogs: Waterlogged soil that has peat
- Marsh: wetland without trees
- Swamp: wetland with trees

Marine
- Open ocean: deep waters, unproductive, low in nitrates, pelagic and benthic ecosystems.
- Continental shelf: moderate depths, moderate fertility, well supplied with nutrients
- Persistent upwelling: nutrient brought to the surface with cold waters through wind patterns, high fertility and productivity.

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4
Q

Define Lentic and Lotic. What are the three zones of thermal stratification in a lake system?

A

Lentic- still bodies of water (pond, lake).
Lotic- moving bodies of water (rivers, streams).

Thermal stratification:
- Epilimnion
- Metalimnion
- Hypolimnion

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5
Q

What are three categories of human-dominated
ecosystems?

A
  • Urban-industrial techno-ecosystems
  • Rural techno-ecosystems
  • Agroecosystems
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6
Q

What was Paracelcius’ major contribution to the field of
toxicology?

A

“it is the does that makes something toxic”
the dose makes the poison
Toxicity increases with concentration

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7
Q

What would a typical dose response curve look like? How
might an LD50 be calculated from it?

A

Lethal dose 50 (the dose that would kill half the population)

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8
Q

What is the difference between acute and chronic
toxicity?

A

The time. acute is short term, chronic is long term (ex. cigarettes).

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9
Q

Define NOAEL

A

(No observed adverse effect level)
The greatest concentration or amount of a substance at which no detectable adverse effects occur in an exposed population.

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10
Q

Why is the Route of Entry important in toxicology?

A

This effects how efficient the chemical is when entering the bloodstream, due to the chemical structure and properties of barrier to entry.

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11
Q

What is the general equation for risk?

A

Risk = hazard x exposure

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12
Q

What are the key factors to considered in a Canadian
Chemical Risk Assessment?

A
  1. Exposure (Release of chemical)
  2. Partitioning of Chemical in an Ecosystem (how a chemical spreads and divides among different environmental components such as air, water, soil, and living organisms)
  3. Persistence
  4. Bioaccumulation
  5. Inherent Toxicity
  6. Capacity for Long Range Transport
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13
Q

What are the main natural and human sources of air pollution?

A

Natural:
1. Smoke (natural fires)
2. Volcaic ash
3. Sea spray
4. Volitile organic compounds
5. Methane
6. Dust
7. Bactiria/ viruses

Human sources:
- 7 by environmental Canada

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14
Q

What are the seven criteria air pollutants listed by Environment Canada? Describe each in detail.

A
  1. Sulphur oxide:
    - Natural sources (evaporation from sea spray, volcanic fumes, organic compounds)
    - Anthropogenic sources (fossil fuel combustion)
    variations: Sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide
  2. Nitrogen Oxides
    -Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are reactive gases formed
    when nitrogen is heated above 650o C in the
    presence of oxygen, or when nitrogen compounds
    are oxidized.
    - variations:Nitrogen dioxide,Nitric oxide, Nitrous oxide.
  3. Ammonia:
    -Natural sources (anaerobic decomposition)
    - Anthropogenic sources (livestock, industry)
  4. Carbon monoxide:
    - Different variations, including carbon dioxide (CO2).
    - Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odourless, toxic
    gas produced by incomplete fuel combustion.
  5. Volatile Organic Compounds:
    -Organic chemicals
    ▪ May eventually be oxidized to CO and CO2
    ▪ Plants are largest source of VOCs
    - The major hydrocarbon and organic vapours are:
    * Methane (CH4)
    ▪ Natural sources are wetlands
    ▪ Anthropogenic sources are fossil-fuel mining, landfills,
    and livestock
    * Non-methane hydrocarbons
    ▪ Natural sources are wetlands and forests
    ▪ Anthropogenic sources are related to mining and use of fossil fuels
  6. Particulate matter:
    - Airborne particulates are not only a problem in
    urban areas…. but in every region of the country,
    all year round
    - Every major Canadian urban centre has levels of
    particles high enough to pose a health risk
    - Anthropogenic particulate emissions amount to
    about 362 million metric tons annually.
  7. Tropospheric Ozone:
    - Product of secondary atmospheric reaction driven by solar energy.
    - It is a Secondary Pollutant.
    - Ammonia combines with sulphates and nitrates to form secondary fine particulate matter.
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15
Q

What is the difference between a primary and a secondary air pollutant? Give examples.

A
  • Primary pollutants cause damage in the form in which they are emitted (Ex. carbon monoxide)
  • Secondary pollutants are not emitted, they are formed in the atmosphere by photochemical reactions (Ex. Troposphere ozone)
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16
Q

Explain the main ecosystem effects surrounding the creation and destruction of both stratospheric and tropospheric ozone?

A

Stratospheric Ozone:
- Location: High up in the atmosphere.
- Role: Protects us by blocking harmful UV rays from the Sun.
- Destruction: Caused by chemicals like CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons).

Tropospheric Ozone:
- Location: Near the ground.
- Role: A harmful pollutant created by car fumes and industrial emissions reacting in sunlight.
- Effects: Causes breathing problems, damages crops, and adds to global warming.

Summary: Ozone is good when it’s high in the atmosphere but bad when it’s near us.

17
Q

What is watershed liming? What are the advantages and
disadvantages?

A

Liming naturalizes acidity, boosts productivity, but it can harm other species like ducks.

18
Q

What did researchers learn about the relationships between air quality and lake pollution from the smoking hills site?

A

The Smoking Hills are burning sulphur-rich rocks that release pollutants into the air.
- Sulphur and metals from the smoke settle into nearby lakes, making the water acidic and polluted.
- Harms nearby vegetation and animals.

19
Q

What are 2 examples of air pollution control?

A
  • Scrubbers
  • Catalytic converters
20
Q

What is the “green house effect”? Draw a diagram to demonstrate.

A

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that keeps Earth warmer than it would otherwise
be.

21
Q

What characteristics of a molecule determine its ability to absorb radiation?

A

Molecules will absorb radiation when the frequency of stretching or bending matches the frequency of radiation.

22
Q

What are the 3 most influential GHGs in the atmosphere?

A
  • H2O
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Methane
23
Q

Why is there a seasonal cycle to CO2 in the atmosphere?

A

Because during growing periods more CO2 is absorbed, decreasing the amount in the atmosphere.

24
Q

What is radiative forcing? Provide example of positive and negative feedbacks.

A

Radiative forcing = how measure of how much energy the earth gains or loses.
Positive forcing warms the earth; negative forcing cools it.
- Positive feedback cycle
e.g. Warming leads to increased water vapour in
atmosphere, which leads to further warming causing
more evaporation…. and so on
- Negative feedback cycle
e.g. Increased water vapour in atmosphere also causes
increased cloudiness slowing global warming, which
reduces evaporation

25
Q

What is a proxy indicator?

A

Proxy indicators = indirect measurement used to estimate something that is difficult to measure directly. Help study past or current conditions when direct data is unavailable. (ex. Ice caps, ice sheets, and glaciers hold clues to past climate)

26
Q

What are the ecological consequences of global warming?

A
  1. Rising Temperatures
  2. Melting Ice and Rising Seas
  3. Extreme Weather
  4. Shifts in Ecosystems: Animals may move to cooler areas, causing changes in food chains and biodiversity loss.
  5. Warmer oceans cause coral bleaching and affect marine life.
27
Q

What are some potential mitigation measures to address global warming?

A

Renewable energy sources, farm practices to protect soil integrity, preventing deforestation

28
Q

Define point and non-point sources

A
  • Point Sources - Discharge pollution from specific
    locations (Ex. factory, power plant).
  • Non-Point Sources - Scattered or diffuse, having no specific location of discharge. Has the largest impact because it comes from everywhere.
    (Ex. Water runoff, agriculture)
29
Q

What is the trophic status of a lake?

A
  • Oligotrophic (an unproductive lake, with a sparse supply of
    nutrients).
  • Dystrophic (acidic, high DOC (dissolved organic carbon), nutrient poor).
  • Mesotrophic (an intermediate condition).
  • Eutrophic (a highly productive lake, due to an abundant supply of nutrients)
  • Hypertrophic (an extremely productive lake)
30
Q

What pollution problems are associated with sewage
release?

A
  1. Oxygen depletion: caused by decomposition of organic
    matter – results in fish kills and foul odours
  2. Eutrophication: increase in productivity, caused by nutrient loading.
  3. Fecal pathogens (viruses, bactiria’s, fungi)
  4. Toxcins (metals, pesticides, industrial chemicals)
31
Q

Explain the factors that led to changes in the clarification of Lake Erie?

A
  1. Pollution: Runoff from farms, cities, and industries adds fertilizers and chemicals, causing algae blooms.
  2. Algae Blooms: Excess nutrients like phosphorus fuel algae growth.
  3. Invasive Species: Zebra mussels filter water making it clearer, but disrupt the ecosystem by taking over the bottom of the lake due to the excess nutrients.
32
Q

Explain the environmental damages associated with
large hydroelectric reservoirs. Why is run-of-the river a better alternative?

A
  1. Flooding Land: destroying forests, wildlife habitats, and farmlands.
  2. Sediment capture: at where the damn is placed.
  3. Block fish migration and change river flow, harming aquatic life.
  4. Water Quality: Reservoirs can cause water temperature and oxygen level changes, affecting species downstream.

Why Run-of-the-River Is Better:
- Less Flooding: Minimal land flooding since there’s no large reservoir.

  • Fewer Ecosystem Changes: Natural river flow continues, helping fish and other wildlife.
33
Q

Describe the main stages of sewage treatment?

A
  1. Primary Treatment: grit tank, sediment tank
    - Removes big stuff like trash and dirt. Heavy stuff sinks
    - oils float—both are taken out.
  2. Secondary Treatment: aireation tank, clarification tank
    - helpful bacteria to break down waste.
    - Next tank more waste/sludge settles.
  3. Tertiary Treatment: disinfectant (chlorine, UV light)
    - Filters out extra chemicals and kills germs.
34
Q

What are the direct and secondary environmental impacts of developing the Alberta oil sands? What is DilBit?

A
  1. Forest clearing over the oil sands.
  2. Hydrogen sulfide emissions
  3. Tailings Ponds: ponds for water used in extraction process, oil floats to the top.
  4. Freshwater Use
  5. Green house gas emissions.

Diluted bitumen (dillbit): Due to the viscosity of bitumen (heavy oil) it must be diluted with thinners in order to be transported by pipeline.

35
Q

What are 4 natural processes that affect oil spilled in an aquatic ecosystem? Explain how the chemical characteristics of the oil influence these processes?

A
  1. Spreading: high viscosity components results in slower spreading.
  2. Evaporation: lower-molecular weight fractions are more volatile (lighter components of oil evaporate more quickly).
  3. Dissolution: higher solubility components.
  4. Degradation: includes biodegradation and photo-degradation resulting in secondary products.
  5. Residual materials: high molecular weight, low solubility form tar and tar-balls, mousse on top of the water.
36
Q

What are some common physical and chemical methods of
containing and mitigating an oil spill?

A

Physical:
1. Booms
2. Barriers
3. Skimmers

Mechanical methods:
1. Solvents: break oil into small droplets, helps clear oil
from water’s surface, making it less likely oil will reach
shoreline
2. Gelling agents: chemicals that react with oil to form
rubber-like solids, gelled oil removed from water using
nets, suction equipment, or skimmers
3. Biological agents: can add bacteria or othermicrobes to spill
to help speed up biodegradation, also can add nutrients to allow natural bacteria to break oil
down faster

37
Q

What are the pros and cons of using oil dispersants?

A
  • Helps clear oil from water’s surface, making it less likely oil will reach shoreline.
  • They can have toxic affects on marine life, don’t remove the oil just break it into smaller particles.
38
Q

What effects will spilled oil have on birds and mammals that contact it?

A

Effects on sea birds:
- Penetrates feathers, loses insulation (cannot stay warm)
- loses buoyancy (cannot stay afloat and drowns)
- heavy (cannot fly)
- Inhale or ingest oil when cleaning themselves
- many of the substances in oil are toxic
- may result in pneumonia, congested lungs, intestinal or lung hemorrhage, liver and kidney damage
- Affects reproduction
- oil gets into eggs and can deform or kill embryos

Effects on mammals:
- May cause hypothermia - oil in
fur causes loss of insulation
- Inhalation of oil damages lungs
- Ingestion of oil (during cleaning
and feeding) causes gastrointestinal tract bleeding.

Environmental Science (2 decks)

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